Page 31 of Earth-Bound

He was earlier than usual and, as I looked, I realised he was alone. He was there before Randall.

“Can I leave this here?”

I looked at the huge package wrapped up in a sheet which he was holding in front of him.

“What is it?”

“A model of the house.”

I cocked my head to the side. “Why would you make a model of the house?”

“Because I couldn’t think of anything else. I’m not good at surprises.”

I had definitely missed a vital part of this conversation. But I graciously inclined my head and gestured to the ground beside my tree.

“Please, leave it here. I shall see that it isn’t disturbed.”

“Thanks.” He grunted as he put it down and I slipped over to it, desperate to look underneath the sheet.

“Can I look?”

He considered for a moment then said, “Sure. Don’t see why not.”

Together, we pulled the sheet off and Broadmire bundled it up in his arms. I gasped in amazement at the little wooden house before me. It was a perfect replica of the house in the distance. No, not perfect, because the model house was finished and the roof was intact and the windows opened wide to let light shine into perfect little rooms with furniture inside. Broadmire knelt down and grumbled, “Damn, everything’s moved.”

He began poking things back into place. It was a marvel.

“Did youmakethis?”

“Yes.”

“It’s incredible.”

He sat back on his heels and studied it as though for the first time. “Are you sure? It’s not just… a model of a house?”

“Itisa model of a house but the detail is incredible.”

He shrugged. “Needed it to look realistic. Want Randall to know what I’m on about.”

“Is this for Randall?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll watch it closely.”

He grunted again and stood. “We’ll be back later with a picnic. A romantic picnic.”

“Uh, you’re not going to… do anything lewd underneath my tree, are you?”

I felt my cheeks heat as I said it. I had a very vivid memory of doing exactly that under this very tree only the night before, and I’d loved every second of it. That didn’t mean I wanted to watch anyone else do it, though

Thankfully, Broadmire grunted, “No. I just know he’ll stop here to talk to you.”

“Very well. I shall see you later, then.”

I stayed by my tree and waited. Broadmire lumbered back down to the village and I was left alone again, looking out over the fields that I’d come to relearn, the earth I felt a connection with, the little village in the distance which had hardly changed at all and the faint trace of my mate’s footsteps on the ground.

I didn’t have to wait long for Broadmire to come back. I saw him appear over the field and it took several moments for me to be able to see Randall as well. Broadmire towered over his boyfriend and I could see his head long before I could see Randall’s dark hair as well.

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